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Mike Tryon Explains Proposal to Tax Non-Resident Legislators

State Rep. Mike Tryon explains to House colleagues why Wisconsin and Indiana legislators meeting in Illinois should be subject to the state income tax, recently raised 67% by the out-of-stater's Illinois Democratic Party allies.

“If it’s good enough for the Green Bay Packers, it ought to be good enough for Wisconsin legislator.”

That’s part of what State Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) told Statehouse News Service today when they asked him why he introduced a bill to impose the Illinois income tax on Wisconsin and Indiana legislators working in the state.

View the two-minute explanation below:

Here is Rep. Tryon’s press release on the bill introduction:

Rep. Mike Tryon Files Bill to Force Out-of-State Legislators to Pay

Illinois Taxes While Hiding Here to Dodge Votes in Their State

SPRINGFIELD…..State Representative Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) filed a bill on Thursday that would force legislators from other states to pay Illinois income taxes if they are hiding out in Illinois to prevent votes from taking place in their state legislature.

The bill is an extension of legislation approved by the Illinois General Assembly in 2007 and is a direct response to Wisconsin democrat legislators who are currently hiding out in Illinois to prevent a controversial vote in the Wisconsin legislature on collective bargaining for unions.

“The Wisconsin General Assembly is supposed to be in session and these MIA legislators are earning their salaries while hiding out in Illinois,” said Tryon.

Wisconsin Democratic Party Caucus Leader Mark Miller and Assistant Caucus Chairperson Kathleen Vinehout enter Harvard's Heritage Inn & Suites by a back door on the way to a Caucus meeting. After the meeting, four cars drove down Route 23 to Route 20 and drove toward Rockford.

“They say they are working, and I believe these legislators should be subject to the same laws as other people who come here in the name of doing business.”

The 2007 law aims to close loopholes in Illinois tax laws by mandating that individuals living in other states who are in Illinois doing business will be taxed for the work done in this state.

“If a movie star comes to Illinois to work on a film, the Illinois Department of Revenue will send them a tax document letting them know they owe income taxes here,” said Tryon.

“The same is true for professional athletes. When the Green Bay Packers come to Chicago for a football game they also must pay income taxes for the work they do here.”

The bill filed Thursday states that income from a nonresident individual who is a member of a state legislature other than Illinois will pay income taxes based on the portion of the individual’s total compensation for services performed as a legislator when:

1 – The legislator is physically located in Illinois; and
2 – The legislator is in Illinois for the purpose of denying a quorum to the legislative body of which the legislator is a member

The bill would provide an exemption to out-of-state legislators who are in Illinois working on mutually-beneficial legislation between the two states.

Tryon admitted that he voted against the 2007 bill because he felt it would be difficult to monitor, but contends that regardless of his feelings for the original bill, it is now the law in Illinois.

“I think our law that taxes people who come to Illinois to work for even one day is a silly law and I also think that the Wisconsin legislators’ maneuver of coming here to escape a quorum of their General Assembly is a silly maneuver,” said Tryon.

“Our silly law and their silly maneuver are going to collide. The 2007 law was initiated by Illinois democrat lawmakers and I’m sure the democrat legislators from Wisconsin will want to cooperate with the spirit and intent of our laws here in Illinois.”